Word Origin & History

early 15c., indenten/endenten "to make notches; to give (something) a toothed or jagged appearance," also "to make a legal indenture," from Old French endenter "to notch or dent, give a serrated edge to," from Medieval Latin indentare "to furnish with teeth," from in- "into, in, on, upon" (see in- (2)) + Latin dens (genitive dentis) "tooth" (see tooth). Related: Indented; indenting. The printing sense is first attested 1670s. The noun is first recorded 1590s, from the verb. An earlier noun sense of "a written agreement" (late 15c.) is described in Middle English Dictionary as "scribal abbrev. of endenture."

Example Sentences forindent

He made a copy of the indent in triplicate, as well as an office copy.

And 'e told the orderly to indent me for a brand new uniform.

They are very cautious sailors, and on the least sign of foul weather they run into one of the creeks which indent the coast.

Ay, wisdom is justified o' her children; an' any other man than me wad ha' made the indent eight hunder.

Well, I was just making up an indent, and might as well include your specific if you really needed it.

The firths of Forth and Clyde indent the country very deeply on the east and west, almost dividing it into two parts.

Small streams empty into all of the numerous deep water gulfs and bays that indent the north coast of Oriente.

The pupil may now, with a pattern-wheel or tracer, indent or mark a line or narrow groove in the outline of the pattern.

The Historian put in an indent asking for two more windows, and succeeded in obtaining them.

Furthermore, if a gripped the pipe at or too near to b, it would be apt to indent it.